Pantheons
Regardless of their origin, all gods recognize the term pantheon, Greek for "all gods", describes their divine tribes as a collective. These tribes bring structure and order to the World and neighboring mythic realms. Most of the surviving gods of the pantheons humanity have worshiped throughout history remain embroiled in an all-out war with Titans, their spawn and, all too often, with each other. Every Pantheon is tied to a "Flame of Civilization"; a metaphysical force which moves with the flow of civilization. It is the pure essence of a particular human culture and connects together everything that constitutes their collective spirit and civilization. The Flames move with the centers of human prosperity and influence and thus can appear in any major city for each cycle. There's no way to predict where any given Flame is going to appear, with a few exceptions. The Flame for each pantheon is physically embodied in a tree sacred to their tribe, from which their magic and immortality flows. No god is truly aware of why their essences are tied to any individual Flame and it cannot be said whether human cultures brought gods into being or if the gods created those same cultures. Both possibilities are just as implausible to the gods themselves, but even the wisest among them acknowledge that neither is impossible. Each of these tribes of immortals has its concerns and emphases but their gods all work to maintain the World, or at least, their place in it. Their agendas are many and varied, but the most important tasks for any Pantheon tend to be: # Prevent Titans and their spawn from destroying the World # Promote their given agendas and divine domains within human society # Ensure their pantheon's survival # Thwart the plans of rival gods Each pantheon, and each god within a pantheon, approaches these goals in a different way, with different perspectives and varying degrees of attention. As immortal beings, you would think the gods would look at things in the long term and rise above petty feuds and squabbles. You would be wrong. Known Pantheons Listed below are the known pantheons still operating around the world today. * The Anunna: Possibly the most ancient pantheon known to mankind, these are the gods of Sumer, Babylon and other fallen Mesopotamian kingdoms. They are mysterious and little is really known about them. Some don't even think they actually exist, but rumors persist of an ancient pantheon made up of forgotten Mesopotamian gods dwelling somewhere in the desert. Unknown Flame Location. * The[[Asgardians (Pantheon)| Asgardians:]]' '''The warlike gods of Scandinavia and ancient Norse cultures. They have strong ties to runic magic and destiny. 'Awakened in Toronto, Canada. ''' * The Atua: The gods of the Hawaiian people are pure forces of the elements, gods of wideflung island paradises and volcanic wastelands. Awakened in Honolulu, Hawaii. '' * '''The Bogovi: The gods of the ancient Slavs, they are supreme adapters and chameleons close connected to the ebb and flow of magical tides. ''Awakened in Moscow, Russia. '' * The Daeva: The beloved deities of India and its surrounding countries, the Daeva have the distinction of having the largest active religion remaining in the world (among the Pantheons), with worshipers numbering in the millions. They are proponents of balance and maintainers of the cosmic cycles, they are split between those who wish to mingle with gods outside their borders and those who believe that such action is unnecessary to their goal of preserving the Flame of the East. Awakened in Mumbai. '' ' * '''The Found: The aggressive new gods that came to the fore at the dawn of the modern age, they represent the concepts that are most worshiped in our modern world. ''Unknown Flame Location. '' * The Kami: The ineffable and eternal gods of ancient Japan, who watch over their islands with equal parts indifference and interest.The Kami have strong connections to the spirits of the land. ''Awakened in Tokyo, Japan. '' * The Nemetondevos: '''Gods of the fierce, proud Celtic tribes of Gaul are a proud group, gods of war and of merrymaking in equal and equally fervent measure. They were decimated by the destruction of their sacred tree at the hands of the Olympians centuries ago, what few remain lie in hiding, spreading their magic under the noses of their ancient enemies. ''Unknown locations. '' * '''The Netjer: Possibly the most ancient Pantheon of them all, the Netjer are the gods of ancient Egypt and have existed for nearly 7,000 years. They adhere to a strict social code known as ma'at and focus on maintaining the balance between the Material World and the Spirit World. Awakened in Los Angeles, California. '' * '''The Olympians: Undeniably the most recognizable pantheon in the world, they have influenced sports and civilization around the globe. They were worshiped by the Greeks and Romans alike and are highly regarded even by other pantheons. ''Awakened in London, UK. '' * The Orisha: The boisterous and chameleonic gods of ancient western Africa, the Orisha are gods of change and evolution, growth and power, from keepers of the dead to revelers in life, from the radiantly beautiful to the terrifyingly hideous. ''Awakened in Miami, Florida. '' * The Shen: More commonly known as "The Celestial Bureaucracy", this is by far the largest pantheon remaining today, sprawling across the lands of China and the Far East since time immemorial; its countless deities hold sway over their own tiny portion of land or concept, making up a truly stupendous whole when they all (or even some) choose to manifest in one place. They are highly efficient, organized and bogged down in red tape. ''Awakened in Hong Kong, China. '' * The Teotl: Gods of the ancient Aztec Empire, they are warlike and fierce who built great, complex urban civilizations. They are most well known for their practice of blood magic and the consumption of human sacrifices. This was not a barbaric act for them; it was an utter necessity carried out with reverence. ''Awakened in Phoenix, AZ. '' * The Tuatha De Denann: The celtic gods of Ireland, larger than life figures who are renowned for their combat prowess and skill with magic. They freed Ireland from the Fomorians and meet at the fairy mounds and stone circles dotting the landscape. Mysterious, flighty and eccentric. ''Awakened in Boston, MA. '' * The Yazata: The ancient gods of Persia, they wage ware against the evild eev and insidious druj, their enemies since their first Awakening. They are gods of order and righteousness and, despite dwindling numbers, they can more than hold their own. ''Awakened in Istanbul, Turkey. ''